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Cardiff Rugby World Cup train delays 'unacceptable' Cardiff Rugby World Cup train delays 'unacceptable'
(about 4 hours later)
Thousands of Rugby World Cup fans who came to Cardiff by train had an "unacceptable" experience due to delays leaving, event organisers have said.Thousands of Rugby World Cup fans who came to Cardiff by train had an "unacceptable" experience due to delays leaving, event organisers have said.
People waited up to four hours for trains home after the first two games at the Millennium Stadium in September.People waited up to four hours for trains home after the first two games at the Millennium Stadium in September.
Subsequent arrangements improved the situation. Head of tournament services Mick Wright said out of the 48 matches, the only ones with post-match problems were the first three of the eight in Cardiff.
England 2015 organising team members will expand on written evidence they have submitted to an assembly committee later on Thursday. But he praised rail operators for their responses to the situation.
Great Western Railway apologised for underestimating passenger numbers for the first game in Cardiff, calling the situation "embarrassing", and £600,000 was spent on shuttle buses to take fans to Bristol to catch trains to London following initial problems. England 2015 organising team members expanded on written evidence to the assembly's business and enterprise committee, which held an inquiry into the transport chaos on Thursday.
The Enterprise and Business Committee is investigating transport issues during the tournament so lessons can be learned. In their submission to AMs, tournament organisers highlighted "unacceptable" queue arrangements for matches at the Millennium Stadium on the 19 and 20 September - Ireland v Canada and Wales v Uruguay.
Enterprise committee chairman Lord Elis-Thomas told the hearing he thought Cardiff Central Station was "totally inadequate" for a capital city. Queues for trains outside Cardiff Central station took three to four hours to clear on both days, with problems also at London Paddington before the games, organisers said.
Mr Wright said tournament organisers were reluctant to warn fans to expect similar delays when Australia played Fiji in Cardiff on 23 September.
"In Cardiff there has been an assumption that it's ok to ask an audience to wait for three to four hours," he told the committee.
"I can tell you my response that day was we would not do that because that is not acceptable."
Mr Wright, who witnessed the crowds after the Australia v Fiji game himself, said the queuing system was "non-existent" outside the forecourt to the station, causing distress because "it looked like there was a crush".
However, Mr Wright said the fans were "pretty orderly" and he praised rail operators for their responses to long queues.
Great Western Railway had apologised for underestimating passenger numbers for the first game in Cardiff, calling the situation "embarrassing", and £600,000 was spent on shuttle buses to take fans to Bristol to catch trains to London following initial problems.
Mr Wright had praise for Cardiff's role in hosting games, saying that "the fan-zone was absolutely amazing, the stadium performed as we knew it would and the city was one of the best we had in the tournament".
Earlier, committee member Lord Elis-Thomas told the hearing he thought Cardiff Central Station was "totally inadequate" for a capital city.
Claire Moggridge, operations manager for major projects at Cardiff council, agreed, adding: "It is vital that we get a train station that has the capacity within it to deal with the crowds."Claire Moggridge, operations manager for major projects at Cardiff council, agreed, adding: "It is vital that we get a train station that has the capacity within it to deal with the crowds."
Chf Supt Josh Jones from South Wales Police said Cardiff was "a superb city to host events" but there were "always things that can be improved".Chf Supt Josh Jones from South Wales Police said Cardiff was "a superb city to host events" but there were "always things that can be improved".
In their submission to AMs, tournament organisers highlighted "unacceptable" queue arrangements for matches at the Millennium Stadium on the 19 and 20 September - Ireland v Canada and Wales v Uruguay.
Queues for trains outside Cardiff Central station took three to four hours to clear on both days, with problems also at London Paddington before the games, organisers have said.
After Australia v Fiji on 23 September, organisers found:
Rugby World Cup organisers have made a series of recommendations for future major events.Rugby World Cup organisers have made a series of recommendations for future major events.
They include suspending freight train movements through Cardiff Central station for three hours after matches, as well as better train boarding and queuing procedures.They include suspending freight train movements through Cardiff Central station for three hours after matches, as well as better train boarding and queuing procedures.
Eight games were played in total in Cardiff, although England was the host nation.